Mission: To enable the people of Grand Island to encounter Jesus by
sharing Word and Sacrament with a loving concern for one another.Events: Daily Mass Monday - Friday 7:30 A.M. and 12:05 P.M. Saturday 9:00 A.M.,
and 4:30 P.M. Sunday 7:00 A.M., 9:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. Open to AllHelp: Promote and support our church and promote and support the events that we sponsor!Strengths: A strong, stable, faith filled community that has open arms for all who enter through our doors.

The fifth grade religious ed students from St Stephen were touched by the needs of the Puerto Rican citizens that relocated here, with only the clothes on their backs, after the devastating hurricane. It was their idea to organize a bake sale at St. Stephen, which caused a ripple effect in the community, leading to cash donations of over five hundred dollars and over 60 bags of gently used clothing, shoes and toys. The Seniors at the Golden Age Center Center contributed dozens of knit and crocheted hats and mittens. It's great to see during this Christmas Season, youth who are putting others first.

The Parish Players' ministry is very excited to announce their 2018 shows!
The Lion King, Jr. - Show dates: April 5, 6, and 7, 2018
Ages 5 to 15.
Directing Staff: Mackenzie Barone, Sean Christian Rustowicz, David Lesinski, and Bethany Kulikowski
Please be prepared to sing a song, preferably from a show for auditions. Children may be asked to read some lines or dance as well.

The Wizard of Oz - Show dates: April 26, 27, and 28, 2018
Director: Maura Rustowicz
Vocals: Taylor Kozlowski
Music: Mason Cancilla
Choreography: Cathy Thomas
Ages 16 and up AND Munchkins
Children auditioning for the Lion King will have the opportunity to express their interest in consideration for a munchkin role. If a child is only interested in The Wizard of Oz, they should come to the Wizard auditions. Be prepared to sing a song, preferably from a show, for auditions. Those auditioning for Dorothy will be asked to sing the beginning of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, along with the end of the song. Those auditioning for the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man will be asked to sing If I Only Had a Brian, verses one and two.

Open Auditions: All auditions will be held in the Hospitality Room
Sunday, Dec 10 1:30 to 3:30 - Lion King - 3:30 to 5:30 - Wizard of Oz
Monday, Dec 11 4:00 to 6:00 - Lion King - 6:00 to 8:00 - Wizard of Oz
Tuesday, Dec 12 4:00 to 6:00 - Lion King - 6:00 to 8:00 - Wizard of Oz
If you are unable to make any of the above times, please email Maura at macorust@gmail.com for an appointment. Callbacks if necessary - Sunday, Dec 17 - times TBA. Questions? Call or email Maura at 716-867-4597 or macorust@gmail.com.

The First Friday Evening Discussion series, Friday, December 1st, will feature Courtney Bauer, an Outreach Specialist for Hospice Buffalo. We start the evening at 7:00 p.m. with a short social, the discussion begins at 7:30 p.m., come and bring a friend, you will not be disappointed.
Ms. Bauer will share:

The best time to discuss health care wishes and options, is before you're faced with a medical crisis.

Do you have a health care proxy? Regardless of age or health status, the best time to discuss health care wishes and goals is when you are able to have a thoughtful conversation with your loved ones. Naming a health care substitute decision-maker is important for all those 18 years of age and older.

Home Connections, Palliative Care offers comfort and support to patients and families facing the challenges of serious illness and the side effects of curative therapies. Treatment and disease progression often result in burdensome symptoms. Palliative care experts will work with primary care physicians and specialists to assist in managing symptoms, to reduce ER visits, and to help navigate the complex health care system.
Hospice Buffalo offers compassionate care and support for patients and families when a cure is not possible and quality of life is the goal. An interdisciplinary team offers clinical, psychosocial and spiritual care, in the home, wherever home is.

Our world is again torn apart by persecution, war and oppression. God offered an urgent message of hope to the world to 3 children in FATIMA. Have you heard the message? Do you apply the simple act to bring about peace? THE 13TH DAY dramatizes the true story of the shepherd children who experienced six apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima between May and October 1917, which culminated with the Miracle of the Sun on October 13th. Bring the family to see and understand the love and power of Mary and Jesus. The movie will be shown in the Hospitality room, 2100 Baseline Rd. Grand Island, NY on Friday, October 13th at 7:00 p.m. Consider adoration before or after the movie.

The First Friday Evening Discussion series, Friday, October 6th, begins with a talk you just can't miss. We start the evening at 7:00 p.m. with a short social, the discussion begins at 7:30 p.m., come and bring a friend, you will not be disappointed.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, ushered in a new era in naval warfare. Never again would the tide of battle on the high seas be determined solely by the might of a nation's surface fleet. Instead it would be aircraft-launched from aircraft carriers-that would play a preeminent role in naval warfare. While far removed from the world's oceans, Western New York played a significant role in several milestones in the evolution of naval aviation. Not the least of these involved the conversion of a pair of Great Lakes luxury cruise ships to aircraft carriers in 1942-43.
Douglas DeCroix, Executive Editor of Western New York Heritage magazine, will present Cruise Ships to Carriers. As part of his presentation, he will share numerous "before and after" images of the ships, along with a few notable individuals whose skills were honed on them.

Our world is again torn apart by persecution, war and oppression. God offered an urgent message of hope to the world to 3 children in FATIMA. Have you heard the message? Do you apply the simple act to bring about peace? THE 13TH DAY dramatizes the true story of the shepherd children who experienced six apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima between May and October 1917, which culminated with the Miracle of the Sun on October 13th. Bring the family to see and understand the love and power of Mary and Jesus. The movie will be shown in the Hospitality room, 2100 Baseline Rd. Grand Island, NY on Wednesday, September 13th at 7:00 p.m. and Friday, October 13th at 7:00 p.m. Consider adoration before or after the movie.

St. Stephen Vacation Bible School is July 31 - August 4th, from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Children K-5th grade are invited to attend. Children visit seven stations each day, featuring different activities. Register now. See flyer.

A workshop will take place Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at St. Stephen Church, starting July 17th. The workshop is for children ages 4 - 14.
The show for the 2018 season is going to be The Lion King, Jr., which will be in Spring 2018. We are not casting at this workshop; we are teaching songs, choreography, and theatre fun! Auditions for the show will be held in the winter . Sign up for the summer program is limited to the first fifty kids, ages 4-14, who sign up. (incoming freshmen are also invited to participate in the workshop.) Sign up by emailing MaryElisabeth at mrustowicz54@gmail.com.
Each family is expected to sign up to help with lunch one of the eight days of the workshop. There is no charge for the workshop. We will be creating a new Facebook group for The Lion King, Jr and communicating details via email and through that Facebook group. Should be a very fun summer!
A special thanks to MaryElisabeth Rustowicz, Maggie Rustowicz, Mackenzie Barone, Taylor Kozlowski, Kevin O'Leary, David Lesinski, Bethany Kulikowski, and Sean Christian Rustowicz for running this great program for the kids this summer!

The St. Stephen's Annual Rummage Sale will be held Friday, June 30 - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday, July 1 - 9:00 am to 6:00 pm & Sunday, July 2 - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Sunday is the Bag Sale - fill a bag for $3.00! Hot dogs and hamburgers will be sold on Friday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Saturday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Bring your appetite!

Angelo & Barbara LaDuca

The Ladies of Charity school supply drive recently ended and the Grand Island community donated 31 boxes of supplies for the effort. Today, June 8th, the boxes will be delivered to the Ladies of Charity headquarters on Broadway in Buffalo. Over 600 requests for supplies will be filled throughout the Diocese of Buffalo, so students will be well equipped for the new school year next fall.
Barbara Frase of Tonawanda started the school supply drive in 2000 with the Ladies of Charity, and after her passing in 2002, family and friends took over the cause in her memory. Grand Island coordinator Barbara LaDuca would like to thank; Jim Frase, Charlene Clarke, Les Lee, Bryce Shipman and Angelo LaDuca for helping with the drive.

Our first "Friday in June" will be the second Friday, June 9th. Our speaker will be Leonce Byimana a clinical psychologist who has assisted survivors of the 1994 genocide in his native Rwanda. Leonce has lived in Buffalo for two years and served as the program director of the Western New York Center for Survivors of Torture. Read the newspapers or listen to the TV news and one realizes that human nature has not changed, the cruelty of one man against another knows no bounds. We will meet in St. Stephen's hospitality room at 7:00 p.m. for a short social, the talk will begin at 7:30. Come and bring a friend.

Barbara and Angelo LaDuca collect school supplies.

The Ladies of Charity school supply drive has been very successful. Just two weeks in, 23 boxes of supplies have been collected. The collection will run until May 27th at the Narthex of St. Stephens Church and supplies may be dropped off at the LaDuca home, 139 Parkview Dr., GI until June 2nd.
Thanks go to Mission Club of St. Stephen's School, CCD Program St. Stephen's, Advent, Lent Small Faith Group, Read and Feed Book Club, St. Christophers Women's Discussion Program, VFW Post 9249 and many generous Grand Islanders.
New School Supplies Needed: Book bags, erasers, ballpoint pens, highlighters, primary & regular crayons, magic markers, loose leaf paper, comp. & spiral notebooks, folders, glue sticks, scissors, rulers, #2 pencils, colored pencils, 3 ring binders and small tissue packages.

St. Stephen's Fourth Annual Holy Name Society Pitmaster Barbecue is on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at the school cafeteria, 2080 Baseline Road. Between 12:00 and 5:00 p.m., a bbq dinner is available with pulled chicken or pork, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans and "crispy" pickle for $8.00, eat in or take out. A children's menu is also available. See flyer.

Yearly the Ladies of Charity distribute school supplies to children, ages 5 -17, by referral from Catholic Charities case workers in several WNY counties. Recently, there has been a large increase of requests due to many family members having lost jobs due to businesses closings, merging or downsizing. Last year over 700 children were equipped for the new school year and as needed during the year. High school students can earn community service hours toward graduation. In July & August, book bags are packed and ready for distribution.
This is a Spring Project for families, school children, discussion and prayer groups or anyone wishing to assist the Ladies of Charity. Place your donations in specially marked boxes in the St. Stephen's narthex, From May 1 - May 27th. Monetary donations are also accepted. New School Supplies Needed: Book bags, erasers, ballpoint pens, highlighters, primary & regular crayons, magic markers, loose leaf paper, comp. & spiral notebooks, folders, glue sticks, scissors, rulers, #2 pencils, colored pencils, 3 ring binders and small tissue packages. For more information contact Angelo & Barbara LaDuca at 773-2888. Supplies may also be dropped off at 139 Parkview Dr., Grand Island until June 2nd.

Deacon Mike Ficorilli from St. Andrews Parish in Kenmore spoke at all the masses at St. Stephens Church last weekend about the upcoming Catholic Charities Appeal. Deacon Mike, a Grand Island resident who was formerly involved with the music ministry at St. Stephens, has worked in the food pantry for Catholic Charities. He reminded the parishioners that during the Lenten season a good way to increase works of mercy is to donate to the Catholic Charities Drive. The Drive last year assisted more than 152,000 people through 70 different programs in the eight counties of Western New York. The Appeal runs through Easter and the goal is $11 Million. Donations can be made by return mail, or at the weekend masses.

First Friday evening February 3, 2017, St. Stephen's Hospitality Room. Join us for a health seminar for you, your family and others you care about. "Nutrition Response Training" with Dr. Thomas G. Barba, Chiropractic & Master Clinician Nutrition Response Testing. A non-invasive system of analyzing the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimal health. We start at 7:00 p.m. with a short social and the program begins at 7:30 p.m., bring a friend.

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